Recipe #87 - Keto Mac & Cheese

 Yes, you can make a version of mac and cheese and still be in the keto range of diet.

1 head cauliflower, trimmed and broken into bite size pieces

1 Tbsp. olive oil 

6 oz. Kaizen fusilli keto pasta

1/2 cup half-and-half

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 tsp garlic salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Toss the cauliflower bites with the olive oil in a large bowl and put on a small sheet tray lined with foil. Put in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. 

Put liquid dairy ingredients in a large saucepan and bring up to 150 degrees, then add the cheeses. Whisk until the cheese is fully melted.

Meanwhile, roast the cauliflower for another 10 minutes or so until it's fully roasted and soft. Cook the pasta until done and drain it, saving the pasta water by 1/2 cup.

In a large bowl, combine the caulifllower, pasta and sauce, adding pasta water as needed to smooth out the sauce.

Pour the mixture into a baking dish that's been treated with cooking spray. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes; check the interior temp to make sure it's 165 degrees.

In Praise of Great Films - The Films of Quentin Tarantino

 Quentin Tarantino has been a writer and director of some of the most notable films over the past third of a century, for which he's won two Oscars and nominated for six more.

In this author's opinion, he's one of the most talented people to make a mark on cinema during that time. Starting with Pulp Fiction, and most recently Once Upon a Time in ... in Hollywood, his scripts and direction have been spot-on and very unique.

Reservoir Dogs was raw and vicious and hard to watch for some, but it was also very clever in its character development and plot. It marked a very strong debut for a writer/director who would go on to a remarkable career.

Then there was Pulp Fiction, which was hailed as one of the best movies of 1994.  Which it was! The non-linear plot, the fantastic cast, the intricate script were all fantastic. I've watched it many times over the years and regard it as one of the best films of its type ever. Only thing is, what type of film is it, really?

Tarantion's Kill Bill movies were adored by many, just not by me. That doesn't mean they weren't well done, just that I'm not into martial arts flicks.

Then came Inglorious Bastards, a triumph for Tarantino, Pitt and a then-unknown Christoph Waltz (who won an Oscar for the role). Extremely well written and directed, and notable for how they altered history by having Hitler gunned down in a movie theater lobby.

The Hateful Eight is, sad to say, the one Tarantino movie I still haven't seen. I'll get to it, I promise!

That brings us to Once Upon a Time ...  in Hollywood. Upon multiple viewings, I now think this is my favorite Tarantino flick yet. Why? Several reasons. It's a great script, has wonderful performances from some of the most talented people in movies, and its production design is first rate. But also consider the small and intimate scenes that reverberate big-time. The scene with Leonardo DiCaprio and Julia Butters is amazing, as well as the bit with Brad Pitt and Margaret Qualley. And as with Inglorious Basterds, Tarantino subverts history by altering it when the heroes from the movie prevent the Manson Family murders by slaughtering the Manson freaks themselves.

Overall, I consider Quentin Tarantino one of my favorite filmmakers of all time.